Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry
Volume 25, Issue 6 , Pages 836-840, November 1986

Eating‐Disordered Symptoms in a Nonclinical Population: A Study of Female Adolescents in Two Private Schools

Department of Psychiatry and Behaviorat Science, George Washington University Medical Center. Dr. Hendren is currently Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of New Mexico, Children's Psychiatric Hospital, 1001 Yale Bled., NE; Albuquerque, NM 87131, where reprints may be requested. Dr. Barber is currently Associate Professor and Dr. Sigafoos was Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, George Washington University Medical School

Received 2 July 1985; accepted 29 July 1985.

Article Outline

Reports of eating-disordered symptoms in high risk populations suggest an increasing incidence of both anorexia nervosa and bulimia. To investigate the magnitude of this problem in a “high risk” but nonclinical population, we surveyed upper-middle-class female adolescents from two private girls' schools (one boarding, one day). Of the boarding school population, 18.1% reported at least one symptom of an eating disorder, while the figure for the day school population was 18.6%. Although clinical interviews are a prerequisite to a DSM-III diagnosis of Eating Disorder, this study indicates that many of the students are likely to have a diagnosable clinical syndrome. Discussion includes the early onset of symptoms (prepuberty) suggesting the need for educational, preventative programs.

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 The authors thank Jerry M. Wiener, M.D., for his constructive comments on earlier drafts of this paper and Doris Kafka, Ph.D., for her assistance in developing the questionnaire used in this study; and Linda Donath for her help in manuscript preparation. This paper is taken from a poster session presented at the 31st Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, Toronto, Canada, October 1984.

PII: S0002-7138(09)60203-X

doi:10.1016/S0002-7138(09)60203-X

Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry
Volume 25, Issue 6 , Pages 836-840, November 1986

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